Out Of Proportion
by irisrin
Summary: Counting calories. Excercising excessively. Starving yourself. Throwing up your meals. She would never sink that low. Too bad she had to, or he would make her say good-bye to the runway forever. "It's a pity. I did find her rather alluring." NejiTen.
1. Prioritize

**a/n:** Hello, all! XD This is one of the previously 'coming-soon' stories that I happened to become inspired and type out before finishing Chapter 21 of WWL. I know I'm making more work/stress/deadlines for myself but, hey, I should grasp my muse while its still whispering ideas into my ear.

Well, enjoy! :)

**disclaimer: **Neji, Tenten, and other characters (c) Masashi Kishimoto

kisses,  
Iris:D

* * *

**OUT OF PROPORTION**  
**CHAPTER 1**  
_~prioritize~_

"_I'll never become distracted."_

* * *

"It's hopeless, Ten."

Tenten watched from across the table as the normally-exuberant blonde picked half-heartedly at her untouched salad. Ino's perfectly manicured hand reached up and combed through her bangs, a nervous habit she had developed ever since their first modeling job.

"I doubt it." Tenten took a sip from her diet Coke and delicately nibbled on a French fry.

Ino gazed at the fried potato with obvious lust but when Tenten shoved the plate towards her, she shuddered and looked down at her salad once more. "How do you do it, Ten-chan?"

"Do what?" Tenten swirled her French fry in a small cup of ketchup.

"How do you…you…eat junk like that-" she pointed accusingly at her plate of fries, "-and still look so fucking great?"

Tenten stuck the strip of potato in her mouth and chewed thoughtfully. "Well then, tell me how you can be so skinny? Remember our trip to Suna last summer? A lady stopped us on the street and recommended a therapist for you to get help for your 'eating disorder'."

"Bullshit," Ino murmured indignantly, stabbing at a leaf of lettuce with furor. "I don't have a disorder! I eat!" She bit into the lettuce. "And I most definitely do not binge! All that stomach acid coming up again – it would stain my teeth!" Now, she flashed her dazzling white smile and Tenten returned it with a half grin.

"You're already a size 2, Ino," Tenten pointed out. "_That's_ fucking great."

"I need to be a size 0," the blonde whined childishly. "You weren't there at my fitting yesterday. Absolute _disaster _– my thighs looked like hams!" She jutted out her leg, her tight jean shorts showing an awful lot of perfectly tanned skin.

In Tenten's opinion, they didn't look like hams in the slightest.

"You know I'm a size 6, right?" Tenten raised an eyebrow. "If anyone needs to go on a diet, it's me."

Ino shook her head indignantly, looking positively scandalized. "Are you freaking kidding me? You, my darling, are gorgeous! You've got curves! You've got a tight ass! Girl, you've got more buns than a bakery!"

"But you just said a size 0 is the ideal size," she reminded her friend.

"Tenten," Ino groaned exasperatedly as if she were talking to an immature, naïve child, "you look good as a size 6! You've got this amazing hourglass figure – and perfect boobs. Damn girl, I can_not_ believe you haven't had them done."

"You're so much skinnier than me, though," Tenten reminded her. "You're…model-perfect."

"No, I'm model-thin," Ino corrected her. "_You_ are model-perfect. Great figure, luscious hair, sexy assets…" She sighed wistfully. "I'm so fucking jealous. Lucky bitch," she muttered under her breath.

Tenten smiled sympathetically and stood up, shouldering her dark chocolate purse. "Come on – let's go. It's pretty obvious you aren't going to finish."

Ino nodded and stood up, surveying her tanned legs. "So stick-like," she complained as they strode out of the restaurant, "they've got no shape."

Climbing into the car, Tenten caught her friend staring wistfully at her legs and she patted her consolingly.

"You're lucky you're so naturally gorgeous," Ino sulked. "Never give that up, Ten. Especially to be skinny. I'd rather be gorgeous than skinny any day."

_"Vanity is my favourite sin."  
**~Al Pacino**_

"We have a problem."

Neji remained seated in his armchair and glanced up at his uncle pacing around his office in deep thought. "And that would be?"

"New model," Hiashi muttered, handing a file to Neji, who skimmed through it at once. "She's shown a lot of potential but as President of Byakugan Entertainment, I need to make sure all of the models are up to standard."

Furrowing his eyebrows, Neji tilted the glossy photo of an attractive brunette and studied it. "What's wrong with her?"

"Her figure – flip to the next photo," instructed Hiashi.

Neji did so and was greeted by the same curvaceous girl sporting a sundress and cuddling a puppy. "I see nothing wrong. On the contrary, I find her very alluring."

"Her wardrobe is a size 6," Hiashi said, as if it were the Apocalypse.

"But she looks stunning as a size 6. Remove any more weight and she'll look like a shrunken prune," Neji pointed out.

Hiashi snatched the folder out of Neji's hand and shook his head slowly. "Perhaps it was an unwise choice to make you Vice President if you lack support in my decisions."

"It isn't a lack of support," Neji protested quickly.

"Then pay a visit to Tenten-san and persuade her drop to a size 2 within six months," Hiashi instructed. "If not, I will be forced to annul her contract – regretfully, of course, as she has shown a world of potential."

"Yes, Hiashi-sama, I will speak to Tenten-san." Neji stood up and bowed respectfully.

"Speak to her, convince her. If that ultimately fails, I have another course of action in mind, although I pray that we need not have to use it."

_"Love is a better teacher than duty."  
**~Albert Einstein**_

Tenten pursed her lips as she watched Lee troop into her apartment wearing an elephant gray sweater and settle himself at her kitchen table, his trusty binder clutched in his hand. "Ready for our youthful pre-shoot info-fill-in?"

"Sure."

She took the seat beside him and he flipped to a section in the binder labeled with tomorrow's date and proffered it to her.

"Alright, you will be modeling for that designer of handbags…what's-his-face…" Lee glanced his notes, "…ah, Ebisu…right, you will need to be at the studios by two o'clock. Should I ask the Hyuugas to send you a car?"

"No, I'll drive my own car," Tenten answered, glancing at the full-color photos of leather handbags, all with the trademark 'E' hidden somewhere.

"And you better take a shower before coming!" Lee warned, waggling a finger to and fro, eyeing her messy bun with distaste.

"I will, Lee. Don't worry." Tenten outlined the picture of a vibrant, floral purse with her forefinger. "Are we doing full-body shots?"

Lee consulted his notes and nodded. "A couple full-bodies, one half-body, but mostly close-ups of the handbags. Oh, and they reminded me to tell you that they have a few outfits that they paired up with the handbags so you should just wear whatever you feel like. But no work-out clothes," he added with a glare.

"Of course, Lee, I wouldn't want to show up in my sports bra and spandex," Tenten said, rolling her eyes.

"That is fortunate because I hear Ebisu himself is coming and I am counting on the rumors that he is a closet-pervert to be true." Lee's eyes grew very wide. "We would not want him to deflower our lotus!"

When Tenten remained silent – she became transfixed by the wavy, curving flower patterns on the picture – Lee took it the wrong way and jumped up, grabbing her by the shoulders.

"Oh, heaven help me! Tenten! You are still pure, are you not? You have not been deflowered, have you?" Lee sat back with an almighty groan and threw his hands to the sky.

"Hey, relax," Tenten commanded, "I'm still a virgin. And I don't have a boyfriend."

His eyes crinkled into a grateful smile. "Oh, happy day! This is good news, very good news! You will not have any distractions whatsoever. Modeling is your priority, remember that. Repeat after me, Ten-chan: Modeling is my priority."

"Modeling is my priority," she echoed, only because she knew that doing so would shut him up.

Lee nodded approvingly. "That is right! Now, do not forget it!"

_"Decide what you want,  
Decide what you are willing to exchange for it.  
Establish your priorities,  
and get to work."  
**~H. L. Hunt**_

There she was.

He recognized her from the photos he had been presented with yesterday.

She was gliding towards him, dressed in a very chic navy blue blazer and killer heels, passing off a leather purse to one of the many assistants. Clearing his throat as she passed, she only glanced up and gave his an offhand nod and proceeded on her way to the dressing room, many make-up artists following in suit.

Neji frowned, unaccustomed to such carelessness, and followed her to her dressing room. The guard outside of her room recognized him at once and bowed, opening the door for him. Satisfied, he stood beside her chair.

She studied herself in the mirror as various brushes danced their way across her face for a few moments before her eyes met his. Her eyes widened and her smile broadened into one that quite clearly said 'I-have-no-time-for-you-but-because-I'm-polite-I'll-have-to-acknowledge-you'.

"You're lucky I wasn't changing," she commented, her eyes straying to one of the many light bulbs that lined her mirror.

"Neji Hyuuga, Vice President of Byakugan Entertainment," he introduced himself, bowing slightly. He involuntarily smoothed his dress shirt and slacks, a habit he had developed when meeting new people.

"Pleasure," she answered, pursing her lips as one of the make-up artists approached her with a vat of glitter. "I've heard about you, Hyuuga-sama. Really, it's an honor."

He could clearly detect the sarcasm in her voice but chose to overlook it. "If perhaps I caught you at a bad time…" Neji racked his brains for a name, "…ah, Tenten-san, I will gladly wait for you to finish up before speaking with you."

"Yes, I am rather busy now," Tenten agreed, looking at him strangely, as if she couldn't begin to fathom why the company VP decided to spring a surprise visit on her. "Maybe when I'm done?"

"Certainly."

Tenten gave a wry smile and stood up, gesturing him to the door. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to have to ask you to leave. I need to change outfits."

Three hours and eighteen handbags later, Tenten returned to her dressing room, surprised to see Neji seated in one of the armchairs. Sighing, she snatched up her regular clothes and headed to the changing room in the back of the room.

"I would kick you out if you weren't the company's VP, you know," she pointed out to him. "But I won't, because I'm not an idiot."

"Good girl," Neji deadpanned patronizingly.

Tenten stuck her tongue out at the back of Neji's head and disappeared behind the curtain. When she stepped out, comfortably dressed in yoga pants and a sweatshirt, she headed over to her mirror and proceeded to wipe off the mounds of make-up she had on her face.

The whole time, Neji watched her with apparent interest. She could see him watching her in the mirror but chose not to comment or reprimand him for it. He was, after all, VP and had more than enough power to rescind her contract if he saw fit.

When she finished, she rotated on the spot and seated herself in the chair across from Neji's.

He was surprised at how much she had transformed. The curls in her hair were beginning to fall out and without those dark circles of make-up, her natural beauty was more noticeable. The girl he had previously seen was a caricature of the real Tenten, a considerably more made-up version of her. And unconsciously, he decided that he preferred the bona fide girl over a mobile porcelain doll.

"Now, what was it you wanted to talk about?" she prompted him, shifting in her seat, clearly uncomfortable.

Neji smiled slightly, an effort to make her feel at ease. Though it proved fruitless, Tenten appreciated the effort. "I simply wanted to chat. It's very important for me to get to know our promising models, to establish a better relationship with them to ensure many, many happy years."

"I see." She looked rather wary, apprehensive.

"So, tell me, how did you start modeling?" he asked, much like a talk show host grilling his special guest.

"My friend is one of the models here and she sent in an application for me without my permission," she confessed, fiddling with a lock of her dark hair. "When I had received a reply from Byakugan Entertainment, I was shocked. But my friend convinced me to give it a try and here I am. It's been a wonderful experience," she added quickly to ensure that Neji didn't assume that she thought this was all a burden.

He studied her for a moment and nodded pleasantly. "I'm glad you decided to take a risk and reaped fruitful results. I know I did when I accepted this VP job."

"Tell me, how did you become interested in models?" Tenten inquired, voicing a question that had been on her mind.

"Family business – I was simply adopting the trade. It was something I grew up with and, naturally, I would take part," he responded.

"Oh, your father is President?" she guessed eagerly.

Neji's face suddenly dimmed and he looked away for a moment. Worried that she had upset him, Tenten began stammering out apologies. "If it's…I'm sorry…shouldn't have…terrible assumptions," she stumbled.

His face brightened suddenly but it was that fake happiness people in pain adopted to hide their suffering. When he spoke, he did not acknowledge Tenten's mistake.

"Actually, my uncle is President. And we don't just deal with models. _Entertainment_ implies that we have signed contracts with actors and actresses, singers, dancers, and many more talented individuals."

Tenten swallowed. "Ah."

Neji glanced at the wall clock and stood up. She copied him. "I really must be going now."

"Of course. I'm sorry I kept you waiting for whatever appointment you have to attend," she apologized, bowing slightly.

"I daresay we'll meet again." He produced a fancy business card from his breast pocket and waved it in her face. "My card – if you ever have the urge to discuss your contract, career, or anything at all, don't hesitate to call me. I'm interested in you."

She accepted the card with unsure hands. "Thank you."

Right at that moment, Lee decided to burst in, today sporting a thick crocheted scarf and dark wash jeans, arriving just in time to hear 'don't hesitate to call me. I'm interested in you'. Once his brain processed these words, he gasped mentally and placed himself between the Hyuuga and Tenten.

Though he was taller than Tenten by about two inches, Neji still loomed over him and Lee shrank a bit before regaining his composure. He stood a little straighter and delicately brushed off some imaginary dirt from his shoulder, daring to keep eye contact with Neji.

"Oh, this is my agent, Lee," Tenten announced quickly. "Lee, this is Neji-sama, Vice President of Byakugan Entertainment." She gave him a meaningful look.

Lee turned around and gave her a wink that translated to 'I got this'. "Wonderful meeting you, Neji-_sama_," he began, stressing the suffix in a mocking tone, "but we must skedaddle. Tenten has a date, you know."

Neji's perfect eyebrows arched in mild surprise. "Oh?"

"Indeed," Lee stated with a confident nod.

"Is that true?" Neji asked Tenten, easily looking over Lee's shoulder.

"No, of course not, not at all," she stuttered, glaring daggers at Lee. "Lee has always been rather eccentric. I'm sorry."

Neji smirked and headed for the door. "No, I apologize. I shouldn't have come on such short notice. I'll be sure to phone ahead next time or let you know. Until then, good-bye, Tenten-san. Nice to meet you…Lee."

Lee could barely hold himself in and burst once the door closed. He snatched the card that Tenten was still clutching at analyzed it thoroughly. "Ah-_ha_," he whispered to himself, "so finally, one daring and bold man has his eyes set on our lotus."

"Hey, you were terribly rude," Tenten reprimanded him sternly.

"I am an artiste, I'm allowed to be rude," he retorted.

"You're not an 'artiste'," she snapped. "You manage and book events for an artiste!"

He waved it off. "Let's not delve into details, shall we? Instead, we must discuss this new catastrophe!"

"He isn't interested in me." Tenten folded her arms.

"Au contraire," Lee singsonged in a horrible accent, "I heard him tell you that he was, in fact, _interested._ Do not try to deny it, Ten-chan!"

"It was purely business," she insisted. "He's interested in me career-wise, not romantically."

"Whatever the case, you mustn't let your hormones get the better of you. Why, if you did, your priorities would jumble and you'd start canceling and lying and making excuses and…good lord-" Here, he gave an almighty sigh, "-that would be disastrous."

"That won't happen, Lee." Despite her growing annoyance, Tenten allowed herself to give a small smile at his antics.

"Good, because modeling is your…?" He trailed away, wanting her to finish his sentence.

"My priority," she chanted.

"And you'll never become…?"

"Distracted."

"And Hyuuga is…?"

Tenten frowned. "What am I supposed to say?"

Lee shrugged but wore a mischievous countenance. "I wanted to know what you thought of him."

* * *

**a/n: **Haha ohh, Lee. I hope I portrayed him well. There's something about him that just makes me laugh. Also, seperating contractions (that is, saying 'I am' instead of I'm') seems to be something Lee would do often. And have much interest in Tenten's love life. XD And yes, he's her agent so they'll be rather close, which might prove some problems for Neji. Haha

More characters will appear and play a significant role, although their roles may be...unexpected. Haha

And yes, Ebisu is now a purse designer. XD

REVIEW:)

kisses,  
Iris:D


	2. Waterworks

**a/n: **Yay! Another update! I must say that I really like this story, I'm feeling the vibe. Haha :)

I hope you guys enjoyy!

**disclaimer:** Neji, Tenten, and other characters (c) Masashi Kishimoto

kisses,  
Iris:D

* * *

**OUT OF PROPORTION  
CHAPTER 2**  
_~waterworks~_

_"When it rains, it pours."_

* * *

She was the kind of girl that turned heads, one that looked almost too beautiful, too flawless, too perfect to be real. Each glossy auburn curl was perfectly shaped and reflected the sun's light miraculously, making her piercing grass green eyes pop. Her curves, surgically enhanced of course, were highlighted in a formfitting black halter dress that revealed miles of creamy, tanned skin.

And there she was, standing on the street corner, clutching a silk handbag, glancing around, looking for her ride. Every time she heard someone utter her name, she looked around hopefully but her face dropped drastically when she realized that it was only a star-struck fan.

Everyone seemed to revel in their good fortune – they just so happened to be walking on the street at the same time Aimi Miyoko, the movie screen goddess, was.

She scowled when some called to her and waved, only bothering to wave halfheartedly at the good-looking guys.

A shiny convertible pulled up, screeching to a halt, and she hurriedly let herself in. "Damn you," she scowled, fluffing her hair primly. "I was afraid one of my fans was going to rape me."

"Sorry," Neji replied insincerely.

"You should have picked me up at my house," Aimi berated him. "I had to walk a whole three blocks."

"Well," he began, starting the car up once more, "I know you never complain when it comes to publicity – good or bad."

Aimi nodded, smoothing dress delicately. "Anyway, why were you late? I've been waiting for at least fifteen minutes. I swear, if my make-up smudged, I'm going to bitch-slap you."

"Hiashi-sama needed me to take care of some business," Neji answered vaguely.

"You work too much." She pouted and wrapped her arm around his, pressing into him seductively. "Why don't you come to my place later and we can have some fun?"

He pushed her off gently. "Don't do that. I'm driving."

"You're no fun, Neji," she whined.

They drove to the front of a high-end restaurant and they stepped out, handing the keys to the valet. Aimi clutched his elbow tightly and they entered the restaurant together, giving their name to the hostess. She led them to a private room away from paparazzi, handed them their menus, and left.

"Did you see her eyeliner?" Aimi said in a rather loud stage-whisper once she was gone. "She looks like a panda."

Neji didn't respond, too accustomed to his girlfriend's catty remarks to care.

Aimi was unabashed when he didn't answer and instead brought up the subject of his tardiness once more. "So, what business did Hiashi-sama make you do this time?"

He took great care to uncork the wine bottle and pour a cup for him and for her. "He wanted me to talk to one of our new models."

"Why?" She took a sip from her bottle, looking deeply interested.

Their waiter came in to take their orders at that time, sparing Neji from answering. However, when he left, Aimi wouldn't drop the subject.

"Well? Why did he want you to talk to her?"

"Hiashi-sama believes that she needs to drop down to a size 2," Neji explained without much detail. "He believes she's too curvaceous."

"Why doesn't he just cancel her contract?" Aimi asked haughtily. "A fat model will go nowhere."

"She had much potential and skill," he listed off. "The right attitude, the right approach – she knows how to pose. And, she's gorgeous," he added as an afterthought.

Aimi's eyebrows twitched and she gripped the edge of the table tightly, turning her knuckles white. "Oh, so a talented, skillful, and gorgeous new model kept you after work?" She said this through clenched teeth. "Bastard, you don't have to lie. I _know_ you're cheating on me." Aimi stood up quickly and knocked over her wine glass, spilling dark red win that stained the tablecloth.

"Look, it's not-" Neji began but she interrupted him.

"Go burn in hell, jackass," she hissed, turning on her heel and stalking out the door.

Neji sighed and quickly followed her into the cool nighttime air. Aimi glanced back, saw that he was following her, and ducked into a dark alleyway, muffling a sob.

"Oh, God," he muttered darkly. Neji reached out and grabbed her wrist pulling her closer.

In the few moments before their lips touched, he noticed her mascara wasn't running down her cheeks along with tears that should have leaked out and her eyes weren't bloodshot. But, as their mouths met, he thought nothing of it.

When they at last pulled away, Aimi was panting heavily but smiling widely. "Mmhmm, that's why I love you. You're a much better kisser than that actor from my last movie."

Neji frowned, racking his brain for a name. "Tamotsu Dai?"

"Yup, that's him." She smiled sloppily at him. "He's got nothing on you. He kisses like a golden retriever."

Aimi linked her arm with his and they strolled back into the restaurant together. However, Neji couldn't help but feel slightly suspicious.

In her last movie, there had been no kiss scene between her and Tamotsu.

"_A half truth is a whole lie."  
__**Yiddish Proverb**_

The next morning, Tenten parked her car in front of Ino's apartment wearing her workout clothes – black yoga pants and a navy blue sports bra – and rang the doorbell. When no one answered, she stooped over the welcome mat and fished out a silver key.

She let herself in and looked around at the empty apartment. "Ino?" Tenten called, dropping her bag on one of Ino's plush leather couches.

Hearing noises coming from the bathroom, she tiptoed in that direction and gasped aloud when she saw Ino slumped over the toilet bowl, making gurgling noises. Her clothes were rumpled, her hair a rat's nest. Piece of paper littered the floor and an acidic smell lingered in the air.

"What the hell?" Tenten exclaimed, grabbing her friend by the shoulder and throwing her back.

Ino blinked a few times and looked around like a newborn, her eyes eventually focusing on Tenten. "Oh, my God, Tenten. Oh, my God…"

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Tenten growled, resisting the urge to slap some sense into her. "Why would you make yourself throw up on purpose?"

"I need to be skinnier, Ten," Ino whispered, her eyes straying to a box of laxatives lying on the sink counter.

"Why? Why? Why would you resort to this?" Tenten demanded.

Taking a shuddering breath, Ino crawled on all fours and gathered a few pieces of paper together, fitting them together like a puzzle to reveal a photograph of her and Shikamaru on their three-year anniversary. "This…this…asshole, he broke up with me."

Tenten was surprised to see tears running down her cheeks and knew that no matter how aloof Ino could appear, once the waterworks began, they wouldn't stop. "Why?"

This seemed to be the only word Tenten could manage to say.

"I'm too fat. I'm too fat. I'm so fucking fat!" Ino sobbed, crumpling up the papers and throwing them into the toilet.

_Don't do that. It'll clog._ But Tenten didn't say that out loud.

"I tried so hard to be pretty, to be thin. I've dieted, exercised, counted my calories," Ino listed, "but it's never good enough, is it? There's always one more pound I can lose, one more meal I can skip, one more size I can drop down to. It's never enough for him!" Ino pressed down on the toilets handle multiple times and didn't notice when it began to clog.

"What does it matter if I'm skinny or not? Why can't he accept me for who I am?" Without waiting for an answer, Ino plowed on. And, truth be told, she wouldn't get an answer from Tenten. "I love him, Tenten. I love him and I thought he loved me! I thought I was perfect for him, he was perfect for me – we were perfect for each other! I could complain about some of his traits! I could complain a lot! But I don't because I'm willing to accept his imperfections. Why can't he reciprocate that?"

Tenten glanced at the puddle of tears that had collected on the floor and slowly helped Ino up. "Hey, if he doesn't like you for who you are, then he wasn't…"

"Save it, Ten," Ino muttered miserably, pulling out about a million tissues from their box. "I don't want to hear it. He _was_ the one. He _was_ perfect for me. He still is!"

"Pull yourself together," Tenten snapped, deciding that the sympathetic route was accomplishing nothing. "What happened to 'I'd rather be gorgeous than skinny any day'? Didn't you just say that yesterday?"

"To Shikamaru, being skinny _is_ being gorgeous," Ino hiccupped, blowing her nose loudly into a tissue.

"You know what? Screw him. It's his loss," Tenten told her friend with confidence.

"No!" Ino gasped dramatically. "I'm the one who lost! I'm the one who lost their first love!"

Tenten sighed exasperatedly – Ino's denial was really irking her. "Shut up, Ino," she growled.

That seemed to have done the trick. Ino eyes widened as she robotically dabbed at her ruined mascara. Tenten finished picking up every piece of shredded paper and dumping it into the trash and told Ino to go get changed for a workout.

Ino nodded slowly and Tenten went into the living room to wait.

When her friend emerged, her eyes were still puffy but her hair was combed and pulled into a neat ponytail and her clothes were smooth. "I still feel like shit," Ino felt the need to say as Tenten ushered her out the door.

"What you need is some caffeine," Tenten suggested, starting the car.

"What I need is some Shikamaru."

Tenten frowned as she pulled out of Ino's apartment complex. "Now that you're a little saner, do you want to tell me – calmly – what happened? And remember, at the faintest sign of tears, you're allowed to stop."

"He called me this morning," Ino began, fiddling with the hem of her baggy t-shirt, "and told me he couldn't come to my photo shoot this afternoon. When I asked why, he said he was embarrassed to be seen around a fat model."

"You're not fat," Tenten reminded her.

Ino shook her head despairingly. "He said I was. I got so pissed and I started screaming at him, calling him insensitive and materialistic and shallow and how I was disgusted. When I was done, he ordered me – _ordered me_ – to break up with him if I was so disgusted by him. I wouldn't, because no matter how fat he thought I was, he was still perfect in my eyes.

"But when I didn't say anything, he broke up with me." Ino's eyes glistened but she didn't stop like Tenten advised her to. "I'm fat," she added matter-of-factly.

"Shut up, Ino," Tenten murmured, only because it had worked before, "and don't say anything until we get to Kouhii's. You need some coffee."

Ino fell silent and they walked into the upbeat, trendy coffee shop together.

Tenten looked around, her eyes settling on Neji Hyuuga, who was seated next to a woman with curly auburn hair and sporting a pair of sunglasses. Noticing that they were in the roped-off VIP section, Tenten could only assume that she was generally well-known or exceedingly wealthy.

Neji met her eyes but she only turned her attention to the barista behind the counter, ordering two tall low-fat, skim-milk green tea cappuccinos, not acknowledging her boss at all.

"Ten, I need to go to the bathroom," Ino whispered. "Get our drinks, ok?"

"As long as you don't make yourself throw up in there." Tenten made it sound like a joke but, truth be told, she was genuinely worried.

Tenten leaned against the counter and waited patiently for her drinks. When she felt a tap on her shoulder, she assumed it was Ino so Tenten was surprised when she found herself gazing into the white eyes of Neji.

"Can I help you?" she asked politely, unsure of why he was approaching her.

"Imagine meeting you here," Neji commented amiably. "Are you here alone?"

"No, my friend's in the bathroom. I'm waiting for her," Tenten explained.

"Is she the one who sent in your application without informing you first?"

Tenten blinked, surprised that Neji had remembered such a trivial thing. "Yes, that's her. Look, I'd hate to steal you away from your…girlfriend," she said eventually, making an educated guess.

Neji glanced back at Aimi, who was simply fuming in her seat, and smirked back at Tenten. "She's always angry about one thing or another. She'll get over it. Now," his tone became much more businesslike, "I was wondering if we could have lunch together today."

"Why?"

"Well," he continued, unabashed by her bluntness, "I make an effort to get to know our models very well, to become friends rather than the usual employer-and-employee relationship that many companies tend to prefer. We find that this method makes for a more enjoyable career."

"I would love to," Tenten replied truthfully, though she was still skeptical behind his motives, "but I really can't. I'm attending one of Ino's photo shoots in a show of support."

"Ino?" he repeated. "Ino Yamanaka? I know that girl. Very talented right from the first day she signed our contract. She's modeling for that brand of clothing…_Kunoichi_, am I correct?"

"Yes."

"Well then, I must attend as well," Neji concluded. "Ino is one of our most popular models – she's almost broken the record for number of modeling jobs in a year – probably because of her figure. She has that slender, willowy frame that many companies look for."

Tenten self-consciously wrapped her arms around her stomach – her size six stomach – but quickly reprimanded herself mentally. "You should tell her that," she advised. "Ino has been having…insecurities about her body."

Sure enough, when Ino emerged from the bathroom, Neji introduced himself promptly. "Neji Hyuuga, Vice President of Byakugan Entertainment," he said all in one breath. "I saw the photos from your last shoot and you looked spot-on gorgeous. BE is lucky to have a model like you."

Ino smiled shyly and grabbed her drink, shoving Tenten's into her hand. "Nice of you to say that, Hyuuga-san. But please excuse us; we've gotta run."

Tenten was consequently dragged out of Kouhii's, spilling a few drops of her green tea cappuccino onto the shiny marble floor. Neji watched them leave, slightly amused, before returning to his seat beside Aimi.

Aimi turned her head away and uttered a little 'Humph'. "I'm guessing that _that_ was the model that held you up yesterday?"

"Yes, that's her." He glanced at his girlfriend warily.

"I see." Aimi stood up and whipped out her cell phone, scrolling through her list of numbers while periodically sending glares at Neji.

"You going somewhere?" he called out as she headed to the door.

She made a face. "I'm calling someone important."

"_A woman wears her tears like jewelry."  
__**Author Unknown**_

Tenten took a big swig from her water bottle and frowned at Ino, who was just passing the ninety minute mark on her treadmill. Its automatic timer dinged and the machine quickly slowed to a stop, making Ino scowl and hit it with vigor.

"They have limits now," Tenten said as if it weren't obvious enough, "to prevent overexertion."

"Stupid machine," Ino murmured darkly, climbing onto another treadmill and pressing 'start'. "Ninety minutes isn't enough!"

Dabbing delicately at the sweat on her brow with a cotton towel, Tenten walked over and pulled the key out of her friend's treadmill. "Ino," she started, "No, you've done enough. You need to rest. You're going to kill yourself if you exercise even more."

"I don't care," Ino snapped, inserting the key in once more. "A little calorie burning never killed anybody."

"But what you're doing is more than little," Tenten insisted. "Just…take a small break."

Ino hesitated then sighed, stepping off of the machine. "Fine, but only because you won't leave me alone otherwise."

Tenten nodded contentedly and the two friends squatted on the rubber exercise balls, watching the other early morning gym goers.

Ino seemed fixated by a dark-haired girl running on a treadmill on the other side of the room. True, the girl was at least a size 0 but she wasn't skeletal, her natural thin frame balancing out her slender body.

"God, so skinny," Ino murmured to herself, chugging from her half-empty water bottle. "I bet her boyfriend is a gorgeous sex machine who would never leave her."

Tenten cleared her throat, clearly still uncomfortable with Ino's recent talk about correlations between weight and love life. She had only dated once before, in junior high, but that hadn't been serious at all. Her first kiss was mediocre, according to her girl instincts, and the very few that followed weren't that much better.

She had given up dating when she began modeling, deciding that she didn't want to have to deal with excess emotional baggage, and that had been the end of her unexciting, short-lived love life.

However, Ino had somehow managed to be able to juggle her modeling career and a boyfriend she loved very much. Every date, kiss, touch, was relayed to Tenten in the finest detail, to which she listened with gusto. Though she had no experience herself, Tenten was still interested in what was going on in Ino's life.

Who knew?

She might pick up a few tips here and there.

And the night Ino had lost her virginity, she made sure to tell Tenten about every second of it, even delving into the sticky, nasty finer points that most people found too vulgar to speak of without a trace of shame and embarrassment. Tenten had listened dutifully, nodding and squealing at the appropriate times, but had never questioned why this scene couldn't be vice versa, with Tenten as the storyteller.

But now, she began to doubt her attractiveness.

Ino was hundreds of times skinnier than her. Tenten was curvaceous, but in a guy's mind, did that count for anything? Did men find slimness more attractive?

As if to answer her question, an extremely good looking guy entered the gym and made a beeline for the dark-haired girl, bending down to give her a chaste kiss on the cheek. She smiled shyly, he wrapped an arm around her _thin_ waist, and they strolled off together.

"He was sexy," Ino sighed. Then her eyebrows furrowed and she scowled at the ground. "Look, see? I'll bet my boobs that he was a decent man – kind, considerate, accepting – and, not to mention, good in bed. His girlfriend was only able to snag him because she was _skinny,_ while I'm stuck with lazy-ass Nara. I mean, she wasn't stunning or anything so it was definitely because of her pants size."

Tenten bit her lip and didn't say anything, although a whole slew of contradictions were racing through her brain.

Shikamaru _was_ completely kind, deciding not to press charges when Ino had swerved slightly to the right and hit his car, sending both vehicles into the shoulder lane. He had calmly taken all of her complaints and rants and simply called a tow truck, even offering to pay for her. When Ino decided that he was 'hot' moments after the tow truck had arrived, she had begun to flirt and bat her eyelids and he had reacted accordingly without any bitterness.

Whenever Ino had a bad hair day or was in a bitchy mood, he'd let it slide and kiss her, telling her that she was beautiful. No matter how many times she ran to the bathroom during their date to fix her perfect hair or snapped at him without any good reason, he did not say one bad word about her nor did he complain.

It was, in fact, he who did not want to have sex, Ino had told her. She had decided that she was ready and after he had let it slip he wasn't a virgin, she pounced on him and demanded that he give it to her then and there. Shikamaru had refused at first but after weeks of begging and tantrums and the silent treatment, he went to the store and bought a condom.

In truth, Tenten believed that _Ino_ had been the inconsiderate one and that the blonde knew it but her pompous attitude and righteous personality wouldn't allow her to accept it. She knew that no matter how many times she told Ino that she was being unreasonable, she wouldn't listen.

Tenten and Shikamaru had never been on good terms – she found his laziness and fondness of napping to be irritating and he claimed that her loud laugh gave him migraines – but she found herself thinking that maybe, just maybe, he had decided that he had had enough.

He had enough of Ino's objections and her drama; enough of her vanity and narcissism; enough of her downplaying him whenever she didn't find whatever he had succeeded to be of importance.

And Tenten couldn't blame him – she understood where he was coming from. But as a girl, she could relate to his girlfriend, sympathize, even if Tenten didn't agree with what she was doing.

Because of this, when Ino's eyes began to water and Tenten's best-friend-instincts were shouting at her to comfort her friend, she didn't and watched her cry instead.

* * *

**a/n: **So, the brainwashing begins - regarding the whole problem of thin or pretty. Tenten, no matter how strong and how much she downplays it, is being sucked into it. And it's going to be a long climb.

Aimi is an OC, obviously. No one else would fit the part of Neji's girlfriend, I cannot see him with anyone else but Tenten. Oh, she'll pop up alot. -drama-

Mmhmm, background on Tenten's love life (that remains, for the most part, the same - pretty much nonexistant, haha) and on Ino and Shikamaru's relationship. The story is focusing on Ino and Shikamaru's troubles as of right now but it will soon shift onto NejiTen. :D

Anywayy, **REVIEW** please!

kisses,  
Iris:D


	3. Relation

**a/n: **Whee~ Chapter 3 has been posted because I became sidetracked (once again) from WWL and just _had_ to type this up.

Enjoyy!

**disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto.

kisses,  
Iris:D

* * *

**OUT OF PROPORTION**  
**CHAPTER 3**  
_~relations~_

_"I've never been in love."_

* * *

"Hello," Tsunade greeted Ino and Tenten as they entered the dressing room. "Looks like I'm stuck with you again, eh?"

Ino tossed her long hair over one shoulder and smiled at her favorite make-up artist as Tenten took a seat in an armchair. "Good to see you too, Tsunade-san!"

"Mmhmm." Tsunade arranged the brushes and palettes and curling irons before turning to speak with Ino. "Hey, I have an intern with me right now. She's real hardworking, very talented, eager to please. You don't mind if she works on you as well, right?"

"I guess that would be okay." Ino looked around superiorly. "Where is she?"

A girl stepped into the room, carrying a large make-up case, her pink hair knotted into a messy bun at the top of her head. Tenten recognized her from last year's Christmas Gala as that Uchiha boy's girlfriend and prayed that Ino's memory would fail her just this once. It was a known fact that Sasuke was a good friend of Shikamaru's.

Ino's memory, however, seemed to be working perfectly. Her mouth rounded into an 'O' and her eyes narrowed furiously. "Actually, Tsunade, I would prefer that _you_ do my make-up. This is a very important photo shoot and I wouldn't entrust it with anyone but you."

Sakura's eyes flashed dangerously but she had the good enough sense to withhold whatever tart response she was simply dying to say, opting for a more polite, professional reply. "Yamanaka-san, I assure you, I majored in make-up and design and was top of my class. I am a very competent-"

But Ino cut her off. "I'm sure you're great, but I still want Tsunade-sama to do this."

Tenten cursed her friend's bitchy, bitter feelings and watched as Sakura stood to the side and Tsunade approached Ino with some foundation. The relationship between Sakura and Shikamaru was practically nonexistent, yet Ino was treating Sakura as if she were the enemy. This breakup was ruining Ino, Tenten decided, and someone had to be responsible, had to take the blame.

Struck by a brilliant idea, Tenten appeared at Sakura's side and introduced herself. "Can I talk to you outside?"

Sakura nodded and followed her into the hall.

"I'm sorry about Ino. She can be a bitch sometimes," began Tenten.

"It's fine. I totally understand," Sakura said sympathetically. "_Kunoichi_ is a huge brand and I'd probably want only the best of the best as well. But, I will admit, she didn't have to say it so rudely."

Tenten apologized one last time before voicing what was really on her mind. "Where's Shikamaru?"

"Nara?" Sakura looked puzzled.

"Your boyfriend's friend, the photographer, Shikamaru Nara," elaborated Tenten with unnecessary hand gestures. She was beginning to grow impatient.

"Oh! I think he's in Studio 3," Sakura mused, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "Yeah, Sasuke mentioned something about a photo shoot for a twenty-second birthday or something."

Shouting her thanks over her shoulder, Tenten reentered the room and grabbed her purse, stopping by where Ino sat in her chair to inform her where she was going. "I'm going to get more coffee, Ino," she lied, knowing that if she told her the truth, Ino would freak out.

Ino frowned and Tsunade hissed. (The fake eyelashes had fallen) "We just got coffee like an hour ago, Ten."

"I finished mine. I need more caffeine," countered Tenten hurriedly, heading for the door, wanting to disappear as quickly as possible before Ino put two and two together.

Studio 3 was a quick five minute walk but before she had even gone ten feet out the door of Studio 6, Lee appeared in front of her with a binder in hand and an ecstatic smile. "Ten-chan," he sang, wiggling the binder in her face, "you got another job!"

She smiled faintly and only decided to hear him out because she knew he would follow her anyway. "That's great! Who is it?"

"It is _Hokage_, of course!" he yelped excitedly. "This is most definitely the highlight of your career, Ten-chan! Imagine, modeling for the biggest jewelry company in the world!"

Tenten gave a singular burst of shouts and cheers and was just planning her escape when Lee's phone rang. "It is my mother," he whispered, looking horrified. "She wants to know if I have deflowered any women yet. It is quite atrocious, barbaric, uncivil. I shall say no more. I shall speak with you later, Ten-chan!"

She smiled fondly as her agent disappeared inside the building and she began walking towards Studio 3. Flashing her ID at the security guard, Tenten stopped a passing lighting technician and asked him where Shikamaru Nara was.

Tenten found him photographing a tall, willowy, stunningly beautiful blonde with her hair tied back and a traditional kimono on. Subconsciously, she wondered if Shikamaru had broken up with Ino because of this girl but soon dismissed it. Byakugan Entertainment had a strict no employee-client fraternizing rule and Tenten knew Shikamaru was smart enough to heed to it.

Shikamaru looked up as Tenten burst into the room and his eyebrows furrowed slightly. The two were never on very good terms and a surprise visit was as unexpected as snow in July. "Hello, Tenten," he said warily.

She noted that the blonde looked positively furious at being interrupted. "I need to talk to you, Nara. Now," she added when he looked skeptical.

He excused himself – the blonde was absolutely livid at this point – and followed Tenten outside the room after placing his camera in its bag. Shikamaru did not wait for Tenten to speak. Rather, he held up his hands with a sigh as if he knew what she was going to say. "I'm not breaking any rules," he informed her.

"I don't think you're having an affair, Nara," Tenten whispered angrily. For an unknown reason, she felt whispering was only appropriate. "I know you're not stupid enough to break company rules. However, I also know you would break up with Ino only if there was a legitimate reason. So what is it, besides the fact that you're sick of her shit?"

"Isn't that reason enough?" He also matched her whispered volume.

"It's not! You've taken worse shit from her! _And_," Tenten continued, not giving him time to defend himself because she had remembered yet another thing she wanted to yell at him for, "you called her fat. You called her fucking fat, Shikamaru! You know better than most how sensitive she is. Do you know what she has degraded herself to? Do you know?"

He blinked slowly, obviously knowing but denying it. "No."

"She _made herself throw up_," growled Tenten. "You've brainwashed her by breaking her heart! Just because she isn't anorexic or bulimic (well, except for that episode) doesn't mean she isn't beautiful. If you can't appreciate her for how she is, then you don't deserve her love at all, you jackass!"

"I still love her," Shikamaru stated simply.

"Then why the hell did you call her fat and then break up with her?"

Shikamaru looked at the door that separated them from the blonde inside. "The girl you saw, the one I was photographing, she's an heiress and spending a fortune on having her pictures taken. She _forced_ me to break up with Ino because she didn't want me to have any commitments during the shoot. Hyuuga would have had my head if I let this job get away. I decided to take my chances with Ino. I still love her, Tenten."

"Then tell her the truth!" Tenten's voice rose, forgetting about her whispering. "Tell her 'I love you but someone is trying to rip us apart'!"

"Am I interrupting something?"

Tenten glanced at the speaker and her stomach did a back flip at the sight of Neji Hyuuga. She stepped away from Shikamaru and was about to explain herself in some way before she realized that she didn't owe him any explanation.

"No, Neji-sama," she answered, boldly looking him straight in the eye. She was vaguely aware of Shikamaru bowing once, excusing himself, and returning to photograph the high-tempered blonde.

Neji stared at the door that Shikamaru had just disappeared behind for a moment before zeroing in on Tenten's face. Flustered slightly by the intensity of his gaze, she waited for him to speak. "Shikamaru Nara…what is your relationship with him?"

"Close to enemies right about now," she laughed scornfully.

"Is that so?" He looked thoughtful. "And why is that?"

"He chose his career over love," Tenten proclaimed with a hint of downplaying.

"Would _you_ ever do that? Would you ever choose your career over love?"

She was taken aback. "I…I don't know. I've never been in love."

Neji studied her for quite some time and she began to grow annoyed with his searching gaze. Finally, he spoke. "Tenten-san, will you accompany me on a walk?"

Tenten raised an eyebrow and was about to inquire about his girlfriend but decided against it. Either way, it didn't really matter. She realized he was still waiting for an answer and she hesitantly nodded. Neji's face relaxed and he led the way.

Whatever he wanted to say to her, he must have wanted to say outside, away from others' ears, and so the walk through Studio 3 was rather formal and silent and awkward. He returned the bows of many employees – he surprised Tenten by how many names he knew – and she waved at her fellow models when she passed them.

They strolled towards the executive parking lot and Tenten's eyebrows almost disappeared underneath her bangs. He didn't expect her to get into his car with him, did he? To avoid such an unfavorable predicament, she stopped walking and he did, too, facing her expectantly.

"What did you want to talk to me about, Neji-sama?" she asked quietly.

At that moment, his phone began to ring – some classical sonata or concerto; Tenten didn't have much musical education – and he sighed upon looking at the caller ID. He then launched into a heated conversation with whom Tenten guessed was his girlfriend and she waited impatiently.

"Aimi, I don't know if I can…" Neji's frown deepened as there was a babble from the other end of the phone. "…Yes, I know we planned this but…Try to be a little more...Stop being such a bitch…Okay. Fine, I'll go. I'll see you later."

He hung up and turned to face Tenten, only to find that she was gone. Mentally scratching his head, Neji decided he would talk to her at a later time.

* * *

"It's the hottest bar in town, Ino-chan," Naruto said not for the first time during the car ride. "It'll make you forget about Bastard-kun!"

Ino offered up a small laugh but still looked rather excited. "Mmhmm, maybe a hook-up or two will make me feel better."

"Slut," Tenten coughed teasingly from the backseat.

"You know it, bitch," Ino laughed.

"So, anyway, guess who starred on the show today?" Naruto snickered to himself. He was Jiraiya's co-host of _Icha Icha_, the biggest, most popular, highest rated celebrity talk show due to the abundance of hilarity, secret-spilling and crude humor.

"Who?"

"_Ebisu,_ the _purse_ designer," he answered, choking on his laughter. "He's an oddball. But he mentioned you, Ten-chan!"

She looked mildly interested. "Really? What did he say?"

"He said, 'The model for my latest line of purses was positively stunning. She was curvier than most but she had more buns than a bakery!' And then Jiraiya, being Jiraiya, asked if he had any naked pictures of you."

"Lee's going to throw a fit," Ino announced from the passenger seat. "He's all about protecting your innocence and virginity and whatnot."

"Ebisu didn't say your name, though, so it's all good, really," Naruto reasoned.

Tenten tied her hair into a messy bun. "That was a really inappropriate thing to say, though. So unprofessional."

They pulled up to the valet parking of _The Shuriken_ and Naruto tossed the keys to a man smartly dressed all in black. Showing their IDs to the bouncer, they were able to walk past the long line to enter the club. While the three of them walked on the ostentatious red carpet into _The Shuriken, _Tenten was able to catch the whispers of the common club goers they passed.

"_…holy shit, girl, that's Naruto!"_

_"…oh, em, gee, that blonde is so fucking gorgeous. So skinny, I'm beyond jealous…"_

_"…would it be weird if I asked him for an autograph?"_

_"…I saw her latest photo shoot for _Kunoichi._ I have the same shirt she wore!"_

Tenten was slightly putout that no one recognized her but she consoled herself by saying that after modeling for _Hokage_, everyone would recognize her face. Besides, her tight skinny jeans, floral blouse, and low ponytail were overshadowed by Naruto's bright orange shirt and Ino's sparkly turquoise mini-dress.

The music was playing deafeningly loud, the lights were dim, and the dance floor was crowded with hot, sweaty body dancing skin to skin. A few couples lounged in the booths to the side near the bar and one in particular was getting rather frisky.

Tenten accidentally caught the eye of the male as he attacked the woman's neck with kisses and she was surprised to see the Hyuuga's white eyes staring right at her. They winked and she quickly turned away, allowing Neji to proceed to do whatever he wanted. She noted how skinny and fragile the woman looked.

Naruto dragged Ino and Tenten over to the bar for quick pre-dance shot to get them going. Shikamaru, oddly enough, was leaning against the bar with the very same blonde he was photographing earlier today whispering into his ear. He did not see Tenten, thankfully, because if looks could kill, he'd be dead.

She looked away as the bartender set their drinks down but Ino happened to glance over at him just as the blonde finished whispering and Shikamaru answered with a curt nod. Their eyes met – hers furious, his blank – and Ino downed the alcohol angrily, slamming it down so forcefully that Tenten was surprised the glass didn't shatter.

At once, Ino melded into the dancing bodies and seemed to pull a handsome dark-haired guy from the throng almost out of nowhere, guiding his hands on her waist. They danced together provocatively and Shikamaru would look over every once in a while.

"Naruto! My man, how's it going?"

Tenten and Naruto looked up as a feral-looking boy with untamed hair came up to greet him. They exchanged the customary hand shake and shoulder bump and Tenten returned his raucous greeting with a polite smile. Kiba was known for starring in fast-paced action movies; the proof was in the pudding. He was a good soul but with so many scandalous rumors circulating him after his latest movie, Tenten preferred to keep her distance.

"Uzumaki, you in for a round of beer pong?" Kiba asked, clapping him on the back.

"You better believe it!" Naruto looked positively thrilled.

Kiba nudged Tenten in the shoulder. "Hey, you wanna join? I hear models party hard!"

"Nah, have fun playing with your balls," she answered, smiling wryly.

He gave a great, appreciative laugh and he and Naruto trooped off together.

Tenten was left alone by the bar until Lee appeared with his trusty binder. "There you are, Ten-chan! Really, what an incommodious place to spend your evening in. I was hoping we would be able to discuss the details in a more tranquil place…without the positively reprehensible acts surrounding us."

Lee ordered a mojito and they took a seat at one of the unoccupied booths. He flipped through his binder and tapped his pen on the table. "Oh, how I wish the lights were brighter," he muttered darkly. "I cannot see a thing! But that aside, did you know _Hokage_ was launching a new line of wedding rings and bridal jewelry?"

Tenten took a sip of her water – she didn't like making a habit of drinking too heavily – and frowned. "Do they want me to model for that?"

"Oh yes," Lee nodded, "and they are currently looking for your male counterpart. The CEO informed me about how the two of you would have to hold hands, and kiss, and germinate some amorous feelings. Are you alright with that, Ten-chan?"

"Yeah, Lee, it's fine. It's not real, after all." She sighed quietly and stirred the ice with her straw.

"Splendid! Now, shooting will not begin for a while – they are still perfecting the designs – but this is expected to be an enormous project, one that will launch you and your career straight to the top!" Lee's eyes twinkled. "Imagine; I'll be the agent of one of the top models!"

Tenten smiled wryly. "That would be simply splendid, Lee."

They conversed for a moment longer before he finally voiced what had been bothering him all this time. "Ten-chan, please correct me if I am wrong, but you seem to be quite unyouthful today."

She furrowed her brows. "What do you mean?"

"You have no excitement, no happiness, no youth! To be honest, you are looking downright dreadful, Ten-chan." He patted her hand on top of the table consolingly. "You may talk to me about whatever is bothering you."

Tenten shifted uncomfortably in her seat, feeling the denim fabric tighten around her thighs. Suddenly, her shirt was suffocating her and her bra dug deeply into her shoulders, as if all her clothes were shrinking. What was happening? Had she spontaneously put on about twenty pounds?

She knew Lee was watching her worriedly and she hastily tried to form her thoughts into tangible words, more in an effort to soothe him rather than her. "Lee, I've been thinking…"

"Yes, thinking is wonderful, absolutely wonderful," he cut in encouragingly.

Taking a deep breath, Tenten caught sight of Ino dancing, her arms thrown up in the air as her partner grabbed her from behind. Ino was so _damn_ skinny, as were most of the other women here. She involuntarily touched her stomach and Lee's sharp eyes caught it.

"No," he said quickly, "no, what a horribly unyouthful thing to…"

"Lee, tell me the truth and if you lie because it's the 'right thing to do', I swear I'll hurt you." She waited for his affirmative nod before continuing. "Do you think…am I too fat, Lee?"

* * *

**a/n:** You all can probably guess who the blonde Shikamaru was photographing is, right? XD

Anyway, Tenten has succumbed to the insecurities and yaddayaddayadda.

Yes, Naruto is a talk show host with Jiraiya. More on that later in the story.

Please **review**, my loyal readers!

kisses,  
Iris:D


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